Blog to Book Deal in 2 Months

According to an Observer article, popular Canadian blog, Stuff White People Like just got a $350,000 advance from Random House for a book deal.

As an aspiring writer and someone who has been blogging for several years, I am incredibly jealous. However, I have to applaud the negotiator for constructing this mammoth deal. It's pretty rare that an opportunity like this would come along, even if your 2-month-old website boasts 15,583,784 hits.

STUFF NON-WHITE PEOPLE LIKE
I've just returned from an evening of identity comedy and I have to say, I resent race comedy when it's repeated by someone who isn't racialised.

While I've been known to rib Korean friends for their love of kimchee and Communism, the irony in it is that no one can tell us apart from each other and we all check the same "Asian/Pacific Islander" box for the Census Bureau. It just isn't funny if I make fun of Black people. You've got to stick to your own for it to be ironic and funny. This is why Chris Rock does Black jokes, Margaret Cho does Asian jokes, Jeff Foxworthy does redneck jokes, Nathan Lane does gay jokes and Paul Rodriguez does Latino jokes. It's all very simple.

THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE
I'm not sure why it's socially acceptable to make fun of WASPs when you aren't one, but it is. Maybe it's because these folks have traditionally benefitted the most from systemic oppression. Honestly though, I doubt it. Most of us make fun of our White friends for the same reasons we picked on our younger siblings. The common perception is that they had it easier growing up and more importantly, they let us.

I haven't got the answers on this one. I'm certainly not going to justify Stuff White People Like's recent success if someone decides they are offended. It's just not really my place to lead the march.

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Blog to Book Deal in 2 Months

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